I'm worried about my berried shrimp

[Tacit Blues]

I bought 4 Red Cherry Shrimp about 2 weeks ago, and one, who I think is young mother because she's quite a bit smaller than the other females, was berried. Now she's hiding in the Java Moss most of the time and when she comes out there are definitely less eggs on her tail, but I can't tell that there are any new babies. I know that baby shrimp are expert hiders, but I'm worried that she's just dropping her eggs--should I be?

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Yelling into the tin can from the far end of the string

 

[andresdeo]

I've read that is if fairly common for young female RCS to drop eggs due to inexperience the first couple of times they carry. In general if you provide them with appropriate water parameters they will reproduce and thrive. I started with a colony of 10 and currently have 40+ in less than a year. Was the tank cycled and running before adding the shrimp?

 

[Tacit Blues]

It's a heavily planted 2 gallon bowl. Just tested the water and it was 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate. The temperature has been staying right around 70-71 F.

 

[Fishfur]

Chances are she will be ok. If there are babies, you will begin to see them after a week or so, usually. If she's dropped immature eggs, there is no reason to worry overmuch. It does happen and usually does not foretell future problems.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi. My RCS dropped their eggs a few times in the early days. RCS don't really like being moved when berried, unless you're very lucky.
Babies are nearly impossible to spot but once they start breeding you'll not stop them. I'm over run with them (in a good way) despite the best efforts of my fish to snack on the babies.
With RCS it's worth checking your Gh. Too high or low and they might have problems shedding their shells as they grow. I keep my tanks at Gh 6 which works for me. Don't remove the shells, the shrimp eat them to recover the calcium.
RCS can be difficult to relocate. I moved a few into a second tank and lost them twice. On the third attempt they flourished and have bred like mad. I have no explanation.
Best of luck, enjoy your shrimp.


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